Source: African leaders unite in demanding reparations | The Sunday Mail
Garikai Fadzi in ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia
President Mnangagwa, who is also the chairperson of Sadc, yesterday joined other African leaders here at the 38th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government, where they united in demanding reparations for historical injustices suffered by Africa and people of African descent.
The summit, held under the theme “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations”, aligns with the AU’s efforts to institutionalise reparatory justice and racial healing.
It paves the way for the development of a common African position on reparations and establishment of an African reparatory programme of action, as well as strengthen collaboration with the Caribbean community (CARICOM) and the global African diaspora through a joint mechanism on reparations.
Ghana President John Dramani Mahama, while launching the AU theme for the year 2025, said the pursuit of justice requires strong legal and institutional mechanisms at national, regional and international levels. “We must continue to advocate for stronger legal and institutional mechanisms . . . to ensure that justice for the historical trauma inflicted on global Africa is not just a conversation, but a reality,” he said.
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who attended the summit’s official opening, was emphatic in demanding reparations from former colonial powers.
“The reparations that we call for beyond sorry must be for fair access and development and compensation because we each started the journey of independence with a chronic deficit. A deficit of resources, a deficit of fairness, a deficit of opportunity,” she said.
“But it is not only the reparations that we ask from the international community because we ourselves must repair the damage that was foisted on us. The notion that transit visas require a lot of our people in order to move across this world cannot be something that gives us satisfaction. To go east and to go west we are first forced to go north.”
Later this year, Ethiopia will host the AU-Caribbean Summit, where ties between the two regions will be further cemented.
Zimbabwe has already taken steps towards demanding reparations from Britain.
In 2024, President Mnangagwa launched an academic study into the impact of colonialism on Zimbabwe.
The study, led by Dr Felix Mukonowengwe of the Zimbabwe National Elders Forum, will serve as the basis for a formal reparation claim.
Zimbabwe was a British colony from 1890 to 1980, and authorities argue that colonial rule left lasting socio-economic scars that require redress.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, a guest at the summit’s official opening, pledged to support Africa’s push for permanent representation on the UN Security Council.
“Africa still lacks permanent representation in the United Nations Security Council.
“It is high time for reparatory justice frameworks to be put in place.
“I will keep working with the AU to ensure the representation Africa needs and deserves, including two permanent members in the security council,” he said.
The summit also saw the election of Djibouti’s Mahmoud Ali Youssouf as the new AU Commission chairperson.
He defeated Kenya’s Raila Odinga, who withdrew in the sixth round of voting.
In the seventh round, Youssouf ran unopposed and secured 33 votes, surpassing the two-thirds threshold required for victory.
He takes over from Moussa Faki of Chad, who has held the position since 2017.
The role was reserved for East Africa in this election cycle.
The new chairperson will serve until 2029.
Meanwhile, Angola’s President Joao Lourenco assumed the AU chairmanship, taking over from Mauritania’s Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani.
The 2025 African Union Bureau has Angola (Southern region) as the chair, while Burundi (Central region) and Ghana (Western region) are the first and second deputy chairs, respectively.
Tanzania is the third deputy chair, while Mauritania (Northern region) is the rapporteur.
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